MCL Cricket ball #671

Daily painting #671 6"x8" oil on primed panel 

My husband arrived home last night after being away in Dubai to coach the Gemini Arabians in the Masters Champions League. The team won the final undefeated throughout the tournament. It was an amazing feeling watching the team celebrate the victory on television and we SO wished we could have been there to soak up the festive atmosphere, no one more so than my son who loves the game almost as much as his father!

When my husband arrived home last night he started pulling signed team shirts out of his bag for my son, who by this stage was almost hyperventilating with excitement. Along with the shirts, a cricket ball came rolling out of his practice bag ...at which point my son reached for it like he had just discovered Captain Cooks hidden treasure! He held it gently in his hands, looked at it in awe and said...."Mom some of the best cricketers in the world have probably hit or touched this ball!" My husband's team had players like Sehwag, Sangakkara and Muralitharan playing in it...icons of world cricket! The thought that they may have used that particular ball at practice was enough to make a cricket loving boy weak at the knees!

 We are so happy the Gemini Arabians won but it's even better to have Dad home again!

Purchase paintings at Heidi Shedlock Fine Art
(Click on the highlighted writing to view gallery of available daily paintings)

Grey Lourie (go-away bird) #589

Daily painting #589 6"x8" oil on primed canvas panel 

We have just got home from a week long trip to The Kruger National Park, a large game reserve in Mpumalanga north of South Africa and bordering Mozambique. I love nothing better than time away in the African bush and we stay in a rustic house in the open bush just outside of the game reserve. The area we stay in has animals roaming around but is fenced in order to keep the main predators out. But leopards can't be kept out by fences so its not a good idea to go walking around at night...at least not too far from the fire! You all know how much my husband loves to make (and cook over) a fire (yes...a direct descendent from the caveman) so we had a healthy fire roaring every night!

 Our connection on our mobile phone was weak, but the data connection on my laptop would crash every time I tried to do anything involving images so I had to give in to the fact that sharing Paintings in the post just wasn't going to happen unless I wasted my holiday fighting (and getting madly frustrated) with an inadequate internet connection. The irony is that the whole point of being in the bush on holiday is to actually take a break from all electronics and the stresses of every day and live a simple and SO satisfying existence for a few days. So I relinquished my frustrations and threw myself into enjoying time with my paintbrushes and paint, my camera (which goes everywhere with me), my family and this little piece of Africa which is just like a little jewel and needs all the love, attention and passion it deserves as so little of this space and wild life is left. Do you know that the Rhino is the one animal that has no natural predators/threats? It's only known predator is humans...the rest of the story speaks for itself...a tragedy!

So over the next few days I will share a few of the little daily paintings I did while I was away and I did promise to share some of my photos so I will do that too...with the help of my healthy home internet connection! And a large dose of reality and nostalgia ... while I love being home, the bush feels like another lifetime away already so I too will enjoy pouring over my photos deciding which ones to share with you. It always amazes me how once you get home you slip into daily routine again so quickly and it's only now that I am home that I truly understand the blessing of being disconnected (in the literal and figurative way) for a whole week! But I am back and looking forward to sharing with you again ...

A Grey Lourie bird is commonly known as the 'Go-away' bird because it has a piercing repetitive chirp that sounds as if he is saying, "go-away go-away go-away". It is fascinating to listen to when you first come across one but after a while you really do wish he would simply GO-AWAY and not come back ...for a while! I had to paint him quickly because he kept moving so I had to try capture the essence of him rather than worry too much about detail. He wouldn't behave as a good model should and stay still....he was too busy telling me to 'Go-away'! I have also shared some of the other beautiful birds that came to say hello during the week...beautiful creatures I am sure you will agree.

Purchase paintings at Heidi Shedlock Fine Art
(Click on the highlighted writing to view gallery of available daily paintings and for all purchase details)

Exhibition

A selection of daily paintings.

I have been rather scarce this week...I hope you have missed me...and my little paintings! Or maybe  your week has flown by as fast as mine has and you have barely noticed my absence! In just a days time I will be leaving with my family to go away and there seems to have been so much to organize. The most exciting item on my extensive, never ending and exhausting TO DO list has been to sort, label and price some little paintings for a show and I have been desperate to share this exciting news with you. 

I was contacted by The Gallery in Westville (situated in The Junction Shopping Centre, in Westville, 7 Westville Road) to exhibit my little daily paintings for the month of July. So I have been hurriedly gathering together, labeling and pricing little paintings to send on their way before I leave. Like a mother hen gathering her chicks. I love looking at a few of them together like this...each one a random often insignificant recording of something ordinary that for some reason on that particular day caught my attention and has now been transformed...through paint. A visual diary or recording of my days. A 100 little paintings (about half of them are shown in the photo) have all been delivered and will be on show for the whole month of July so please pop in at The Gallery in Westville to see! By this afternoon this very same table was full of canvas panels again...only spot the difference...

Blank canvas panels ...waiting for the stories they will share. I feel just as excited looking at these...a sense of anticipation and wonder at what random recordings and significant memories will find their way onto my little white boards....keep watching this space! The only thing that is packed and ready to be put into the car is my paintbox...who needs anything else anyway!

P.S. Well considering it's winter and we are heading north, maybe a jacket ...and warm clothes might be a good idea too. I'll add that to tomorrow's TO DO list. I am getting quite good at prioritizing, don't you think?

Purchase paintings at Heidi Shedlock Fine Art

Prawn (tagliatelle) #584

Daily painting #584 6"x8" oil on primed canvas panel 

My daughter is away on school camp so Ross (my son) asked if we could have prawns for supper...Amy will NOT, under any circumstances, eat prawns (it's the eyes!). I think Ross said it as a joke, so he was really surprised when I whisked him off with me after school to a fish market to buy prawns. The market is not in the nicest area of Durban so I was grateful my daughter wasn't with us (she would have had a fit heading off into such a dodgy area). But the seafood is delicious and fresh...and so worth it! So tonight I treated the boys with a lemon and garlic prawn tagliatelle and other than cleaning the prawns, it is SO easy to make ...and SO yummy! If you love prawns and pasta...this one is for you! I will share it with you...

• prawns (you can buy already peeled and shelled if you don't want to cut, clean and shell)
• tagliatelle pasta (you can use any shape pasta you like)
• small finely chopped onion
• 2 crushed garlic cloves
• olive oil and knob of butter for frying
• salt and pepper
• lemon zest and juice of 1 large lemon
• 1 cup of quality white wine
• extra knob of butter for sauce if needed (sorry this is not one for the diet book!)
• 2 tablespoons of fresh chopped parsley or coriander
• optional is a little chopped red chili (if you like it a little hot!)

Prawns cook quickly so start by cooking pasta in boiling salted water until al dente (just cooked).
While pasta cooks soften onions in a little butter and olive oil combined, once onions are soft add garlic (if added too soon, garlic can go bitter or burn). Toss prawns into the hot pan (season with salt and pepper) and as soon as the prawns colour, add wine and lemon zest and juice. If the sauce needs it, add a little extra butter. 
Drain pasta and toss the prawns and sauce through the pasta. Add the fresh parsley/coriander and check your seasoning. Retain a little of the cooking liquid from the pasta and add a little if needed as the pasta will start to absorb the sauce. Enjoy...

A delicious feast and SO easy (super quick too) and you are bound to impress! My amateur photography meant that by the time I got a couple of photos the sauce had probably gathered in the bottom of the bowl...but you get the idea! I was hero for a moment and my boys thought I was THE BEST....until I asked them to help me clean up!

Purchase paintings at Heidi Shedlock Fine Art
(Click on the highlighted writing to view gallery of available daily paintings and for all purchase details)

Rossy red buds #579

Daily painting #579 6"x6" oil on primed canvas panel 

Mmmmm....some more florals....rosey red buds to brighten up your day. My daughter is doing her piano exam today at the Durban Music School and my son starts his mid-year exams at school. So we all need a little cheering up in this house (the tension!!!!!) ....I hope you have a cheery day too....and I hope my kiddies ace their exams today!!!! (Holding thumbs!) 

P.S. Sorry about all the explanation marks, can you feel the tension (!!!!)

Purchase paintings at Heidi Shedlock Fine Art
(Click on the highlighted writing to view gallery of available daily paintings and for all purchase details)

Cheese and mustard powder #578

Daily painting #578 5"x7" oil on primed canvas panel

It's been a tough week of trying to get back to 'normal' (Am I normal? Maybe not!) so I was determined to end the week with getting back into my kitchen. My son has been craving French toast for breakfast...so French toast it was. My husband planned to stoke up his regular Sunday fire and braai (barbecue) so I decided to make some homemade cumin and coriander burger patties for a change to charred (burnt - don't tell him I said that) meat.  Granny Jean (my mother-in-law) was also coming around for mid-morning tea, so I made some Cheese scones (Aunty Pat's Cheese scones to be specific). Talk about getting back into my kitchen...I think I did a pretty  fine job! I also did a pretty fine job of leaving a wake of devastation behind me and my kitchen looked like it needed a cleaning fairy to clean my mess. Unfortunately for my husband he was the 'cleaning fairy', with the help of the trusty dishwasher!

Aunty Pat's Cheese Scones (muffins) were a favorite growing up. She seemed to whip them up for afternoon tea in minutes and they really are dead easy. My little painting is of 2 of the ingredients but I think I will share the rest of them with you...maybe you will give them a try! I would love to hear from you if you do...happy (easy-peasy) baking!

• 1 cup flour
• 1cup grated cheese
• 1/4 tsp mustard powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (I prefer a little paprika or dried mixed herbs)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2tsp baking powder
• 1 cup milk

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and place into muffin trays (I usually use mini muffin pans and make bite size ones). Bake at 180 C for about 15-20 min. Eat while warm.

I hope you have enjoyed seeing a recipe for a change (I even took a photo for you) and not just the ingredients painted. I often get asked why I don't share the recipes for mushroom sauce, spicy aubergines, apple crumble, marinated olives, Christmas mince pies and cake...and all the other yummy things that find their way into my studio as objects or still life for daily paintings...so today I give you a recipe. I know Aunty Pat won't mind. What do you think? 

Busy day...full tummy...happy heart...exhausted and ready for bed!

Purchase paintings at Heidi Shedlock Fine Art
(Click on the highlighted writing to view gallery of available daily paintings and for all purchase details)

GIVEAWAY!!

I HAVE A PAINTING TO GIVE AWAY....please join in the fun by leaving a comment on this blog page (I want to meet you all)!!!! I will share who the winner is on Sunday so there is still lots of time...read below for more details...

It's time for me to share some Paintings in the post love!! It's GIVEAWAY TIME!! 

I am giving away this 6"x8" daily painting. It is #82 in the series and is called "Protea for Christmas".

So how can you be part of the fun?

I would like to meet some of my Paintings in the post followers so...please leave a comment on the blog. I would like to know where you live, how do you follow Paintings in the post (Facebook, Instagram, Google+, email subscription etc). What do you enjoy about the blog and is there anything you would like to see more of? How could I improve the blog...would you like me to share anything else...more photos...other aspects of my creative life....etc. 

Basically I would like to hear from you....and meet you!

A name from the comments will be randomly selected and the person receiving the painting will be notified here on the blog on Sunday! So be sure to check!

So click on the comments button below (near the Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter buttons below), leave a comment and you could be getting a Painting in the post! 

(Only comments on the blog will be accepted for the giveaway offer, not comments on other social media platforms...thanks)

I LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING YOU 

Tons of love and a million thanks....

Heidi

(P.S. Good luck!)

Purchase paintings at Heidi Shedlock Fine Art

GIVEAWAY TIME!!

It's time for me to share some Paintings in the post love!! It's GIVEAWAY TIME!! 

I am giving away this 6"x8" daily painting. It is #82 in the series and is called "Protea for Christmas".

So how can you be part of the fun?

I would like to meet some of my Paintings in the post followers so...please leave a comment on the blog. I would like to know where you live, how do you follow Paintings in the post (Facebook, Instagram, Google+, email subscription etc). What do you enjoy about the blog and is there anything you would like to see more of? How could I improve the blog...would you like me to share anything else...more photos...other aspects of my creative life....etc. 

Basically I would like to hear from you....and meet you!

A name from the comments will be randomly selected and the person receiving the painting will be notified here on the blog on Sunday! So be sure to check!

So click on the comments button below (near the Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter buttons below), leave a comment and you could be getting a Painting in the post! 

(Only comments on the blog will be accepted for the giveaway offer, not comments on other social media platforms...thanks)

I LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING YOU 

Tons of love and a million thanks....

Heidi

(P.S. Good luck!)

Purchase paintings at Heidi Shedlock Fine Art

What a week! #576

Daily painting #576 4"x6" oil on primed canvas panel

It is the start of Winter, although the days are still hot and muggy with no cooler weather at all! We have been blessed with the most breathtaking sunrises lately (best time of the year for beautiful morning skies) and last night as I sat watching my son's evening hockey match, a great ball of orange in a new moon was rising in a grand, stately manner over the evening sky. It dipped between the slight slivers of cloud, changing patterns and shapes until it revealed itself in a huge golden ball reflecting silver light over the ocean. In short....it was beautiful! Yes I know...I was supposed to be watching hockey but if you know me by now, you will know I can't miss out on a bit of sentiment! Speaking of sentiment, this week has been a big week for me. I have resumed teaching and have driven my car for the first time in 7 weeks! (I nearly kissed the dashboard I was so happy!) I am still on crutches and have been exhausted and sore by the end of the day, but I am so grateful to be up and about and I know I will get stronger each day now. I cannot help but be grateful for the most awesome people in the world....my family. They have kept me going through the last almost 8 weeks and quite frankly they rock my world! I love you guys!

My husband Andrew.....my rock, my best friend....yes and all those other wonderful things!

My son Ross...those dimples melt this Mommy's heart!

My daughter Amy....my little mini-me!

Mamma bear.....I love my Mum beyond measure and can't imagine life without her! Love you Mom x

Purchase paintings at Heidi Shedlock Fine Art
(Click on the highlighted writing to view gallery of available daily paintings and for all purchase details )